The New York Times reports there’s regional variation in interest when it comes to folks buying gift cards…from a high of 57% of gift givers in Chicago to a low of 34% in Miami.

The DM News arrived today. On the cover: a story about gift cards. $18 billion spent on gift cards last year. $20 billion expected this year.

Some highlights:

1. “Catalogers need to get their hat in the ring,” according to a marketing consultant quoted in the article. Why? Because brick and mortar stores are marketing them aggressively soaking up consumer dollars.

2. Few companies are set up for mutli-channel redemption (by phone, in store and online.) There’s an opportunity for someone there.

3. LL Bean, the super-savvy clothes catalog, dedicated half of the inside of its Christmas catalog thsi year to gift cards and plugs them throughout the book.

4. The article concludes: Gift cards are a “win-win for both retailers and consumers.”

There you go…

You’re right.

In addition, even if you just offer an unexpected Starbucks gift card to your client you may still foster a great deal of goodwill.

Especially if you know who your best customers are, and see them face to face you could ask them if they patronize Starbucks, Borders, etc.

Plug that into your database and surprise them with a gift card inside a greeting card expressing your appreciation. I’m sure that’ll bring even more goodwill your way.

There’s a way to systematize that process somewhat too…

Sabrina..

a) who your customer is
b) who is likely to buy this type of gift (your product) for (a).
c) what the best media is to reach (b)

For example, a friend of mine owns a string of successful beauty, skin care, spas, massage, etc. salons. She makes a killing around every Holiday, but especially around Valentine’s and Mother’s day by running radio ad spots on stations catering to guys, like those that cover a lot of sports.

The idea, apparently, is that guys who frequent those stations just about that time would be raking their brains to come up with ideas for presents for their girlfriends, wifes and Moms…. and what a better present for a woman than a gift card for a beauty treatment.

In her case, she rings up 100K-200K in single Holiday gift card promo.

Now, if only I could figure out who I should motivate to buy my products as gifts for their loved ones, and where to find them.

Bottom line: You still need the skills, and do the grunt work of on & off line MARKETING.

Live life abundantly,
Jonathan

http://www.thegiftcardcompany.com

If anyone has a really good idea, I know that the President of The Gift Card Company, Keith Guevarra, would be open to discussions.

To your success,
Brian

Usually when you go into a store the gift cards are right at the counter and you can “physically” grab them and hand them to the recipient. Online, it would be easy to purchase for someone, but then the merchant would have to mail a card to the person it goes to. Unless you gave a “virtual gift card” where the recipient gets an email with the code to use. You would have to make an order form to get the recipients email address, and let them know they’ve gotten a card from the person and personalize it so it doesn’t look like email spam!

Otherwise, you’d have to mail them a physical card.

Then they would have to call in to redeem the card and order, or your shopping cart system would have to be tied into some system to “know” what is on the card! Not sure that is easy to do. Somehow you have to keep track of the balance of the card and how it’s processed on your site. Maybe there are 3rd party vendors that have a brandable system to keep track and process orders? So there is a cost for that, and a cost for the cards. Unless you know how to provide camera ready artwork a price for 250 (minimum order) color gift cards is $230 (art and shipping included).

Nice idea if you have the sales to back up the system to put it in place.

I left a fairly lengthy reply here, but your system truncated it:( Be happy to discuss further if you wish.

Mark

You have to be careful on breakage, some states have implemented laws related to it. However, you dont want any – you want customers to use the cards for obvious reasons.

Gift cards can be obtained from any card manufacturer who can make them. Typically, they just have a unique number printed on them and the same number is encoded on the mag stripe. The stripe readers are available for well

Buster Boudreau